Lowell, MA---A free I-pad, beach balls, stress balls , coin banks, calculators, bags, games, face painting etc will be dished out for free this Sunday during an African Diaspora kid’s day out celebration courtesy of Moneygram International, hosted by AjabuAfrica.com.

The free entry event will take place at the basement hall of the St. Stephens Church in Lowell, located at 279 West 6^th street, Lowell, MA from 2.30pm to 5.30pm.

 The event, part of a new Moneygram policy of bringing people closer is open to all children ages 1 to 12 years and their parents in the African Diaspora community.

Moneygram is one of the leading world money transfer companies that facilitate safe, secure and timely money transfer services to the entire African Diaspora community.

The event was originally planned to take place at the Mary Omalley Waterfront Park in Chelsea tomorrow Saturday, but was moved due to bad outdoors weather not conducive for children.

A free of charge  raffle will see one lucky kid scoop a brand new i-Pad as Moneygram's highlight gift to bring a smile to parents and kids alike this Easter holiday.

The money transfer service is always avialable in the US at most CVS pharmacies, Walmart stores, some local convinient stores as well as online, 24/7 at www.moneygram.com .

For more information on the Easter Celebration event, call/text: 781-953-2490
 

BOSTON--11 year old Winnie Muiru, a Kenyan American 6^th grader from Worcester has won the Massachusetts Pre-Teen Beauty contest, and is now advancing for the Miss USA contest to be held at the rosen Center Hotel in Orlando,Florida later this year.

If Winnie wins the national contest, will scoop $7,500 in cash scholarship award in addition a one week cruise to a special destination of choice, not counting the doors that will be unlocked in the media and advertising industry.

"This is absolutely shocking to me. I never in my life thought that my daughter would win something of this nature especially here in the US where there are many more deserving girls," said Grace Muiru Winnie's mother during an interview with AjabuAfrica.

According to Muiru, a single mother of one, the opportunity that saw her daughter suddenly enter to compete, and eventually win  in the Miss Massachusetts contest came by plain luck.

She said that an invitation letter sent to many girls of her daughter's age in the area to go and try their luck had been lying on her kitchen table unopened for more than a month.

But in what sounded like an unbelievable twist of luck,Muiru came home bone tired one day at around 11.30 pm and just slumped on the couch nearby.

The somehow, her eyes fell on the letter just because of it's maroon colored return address. She decided to open it, fearing it could be a long forgotten bill or some other scary message.

But alas!, as soon as she started reading the letter, she could not believe the  good sounding invitation to appear the next day at 11am for trials at the Marriott Hotel in Cambridge.

"I did not hesitate once. I summoned up my daughter immediately and showed her the letter. We instantly agreed to get ready and head out for the trials in a few hours when the day breaks," she said.

"I chose a dress for my daughter and took a few pictures ourselves as we thought she looked stunning. We then appeared for the trials in Cambridge where she was given a few tips and tricks related to beauty contests. My daughter was then accepted to come back for their main Pre-teen contest where she ended up the winner in her category. It was absolutely unplanned," said the proud mother, adding that she will never ignore mail sent to her house again. 

Recounting the sudden journey into the world of fashion and beauty,the young Kenyan said that it was a surprise for her as well to be declared a winner out of over 300 girls in her category.

She credited her mother for the opportunity that almost slipped between her fingers.

"If she never opened that mail on that day, I would not be here holding this award," Winnie told Ajabu Africa.

Undeniably beautiful with an ever present smile, Winnie said that she looks forward to competing in the Miss USA contest in Orlando, which could open a door for her to compete in the real Miss USA beauty contest then on to the ultimate prize- the Miss Universe trophy.

She said that she hopes to inspire  other young girls out there to try and become what they want to be and be self confident in their own capabilities.

She added that she felt empowered by the experience that has taught her to believe more in herself.

As for the mother, everything still seems to be a dream comes true.

She will be accompanying her daughter for the national competitions in Orlando, with  the sponsoring company paying most of the 1 week living and hotel fees for all contestants.

She has also learnt a lot on the tricks of posing and beauty consciousness during the many trips she took to bring her daughter to various training classes in Cambridge in preparation for the Miss Massachusetts Pre-teen contest.

"I also get a few lessons for me.The trainers teach parents accompanying their daughters a few tricks. I am also looking forward to spending whole week in Orlando when my daughter goes to compete."

However,Muiru’s great take away from the experience is to never ignore mail sent in the house, and to never shy away from giving her only daughter a chance to try out whatever interests her.

"These days, I open all mail that comes to my house without hesitation. It looks like many people have lost a lot of money or opportunities by ignoring mail," she advice.

As for her daughter, she cannot thank her enough for taking chances and believing in her. She said that she  will continue to take school seriously as she has always did, earning her honors as  she moves from one grade to the other, and compete in the beauty contests  during her extra time.

"My mother is my hero for all she has done for me. I will continue shooting for the best and make her happy while I explore the world of opportunities," she stated confidently.

BOSTON, Mass--Dancing to the popular hit song Afrika, in praise of all African countries by Rev. Cathy Kiuna of Nairobi, Kenya, two 9 year olds from Kenya, Hope Wanyoike year old Noella Murugi Wanyoike entertained worshipers at the Christ is the Answer church in North Chelmsford last Sunday July 12, drawing loud applause amid a standing ovation for the effort.

The two aspiring performers, currently known as Ajabu Girls for their close relationship to the Ajabu Media publisher (Nieces), have been in the USA on a one month vacation after an older sister competed at the world's Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) Convention in New Mexico.

During the vacation, the two highly ambitions decided to entertain Kenyans in local churches as part of their ministry.

On Sunday, July 19, the Ajabu Girls will be in action again at the PEFA church located at 467 Washington St, Malden (next to the old Oak Groove RMV) starting at 11am.

The Ajabu Girls will also put their developing skills to test when they compete at the upcoming African Hidden Talents Show on July 24 and 25 at the Best Western Hotel in Woburn.

The young girls are also excellent in reciting bible verses from various New Testament books and are ready to visit any Sunday school in the region to meet other Diaspora kids to exchange ideas.

To contact Ajabu Girls for performance invitation, call/text- 857-249-0047 or 781-953-2490

Watch video below.

LOWELL --Players and coaches on the Lowell High girls basketball team say Shyan Mwai of Kenya is a quiet kid.

"Shy is definitely shy," joked senior center Alexi Schecter.

Off the court, that seems like an accurate description of Mwai, who doesn't carry herself with any attention-seeking tendencies. However, on the court, Mwai's game is loud--really loud. It's impossible not to notice Lowell's sensational sophomore point guard, a confident and cerebral force who has wreaked havoc on the opposition all winter.

Mwai doesn't need words to prove anything, her game has been doing the talking for a long time. Growing up in the Centralville part of Lowell, Mwai would play pickup basketball games with the boys down at the park. She was the only girl, and she didn't care.

"It was street ball, all the time," remembered Mwai. "It was pretty fun, I liked it--bullying the boys."

These days, the 5-foot-7 Mwai uses an explosive blend of quickness and skill to seemingly bully every player given the unfortunate task of trying to guard her. She is averaging 22 points, five assists and four steals per game for Lowell, which is 12-1 entering Tuesday's game against Dracut.

Mwai averaged 17 points as a freshman, meaning she will likely reach 1,000 career points early in her junior season. She is all but a lock to become the program's all-time leading scorer--Ashley Rivera (2004-08) holds the record with 1,242.

According to Lowell head coach Brian Myers, UMass Lowell has already extended a scholarship offer to Mwai. She is also drawing interest from the University of Rhode Island, Brown, the University of New Hampshire, Oklahoma State and Virginia Tech. Mwai is an outstanding student with a 3.8 grade point average.

"She's on the Division 1 radar," said Myers. "She hasn't reached her ceiling yet. As times goes on, she'll get a little stronger and continue to develop.

She'd probably be considered a score-first point guard, but at the same time, she always makes the right pass. She's always looking to make her teammates better. A common thing I hear from other coaches when they speak about her is that she makes her teammates better.

"She's a leader on the court and she's a gym rat. She's in the gym six or seven days a week. Basketball is a big part of her life. She's a special kid."

Mwai started for the Red Raiders from Day 1 as a freshman. It was a significant jump from middle school basketball to the perennially challenging Merrimack Valley Conference. Her talent was ready, but as was mentioned, Mwai is quiet-by-nature and had to learn how to be vocal and make the right decisions with the ball. Lowell finished a respectable 13-10 in 2014-15.

"I don't get nervous, so I feel like I handle pressure pretty well," said Mwai, who also plays field hockey. "I like to put it on myself to help this team and be a leader."

The Albany-bound Schecter has been one of the area's premier post players for four years. She is averaging 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight blocks per game this season, and is relishing the luxury of playing with Mwai.

"We never really had a true point guard before this. So, as a big, it's a tremendous help," said Schecter. "It's easier to set up our plays and get us going."

Mwai's journey to this point has been defined by hard work and determination.

She had no direct basketball influence as a youngster. But she tried her hand at several different sports before discovering her basketball gift. Meanwhile, her incredibly supportive mother worked hard to provide for Mwai and older sister Brianna.

"My mom is my No. 1 fan," said Mwai. "She can be a little rowdy at games, but I like it. She's a big supporter of mine."

If Mwai continues down this path, her mom will have plenty to cheer about.

OREGON: An Oregon appeals court has wiped away a father's criminal conviction for not changing his son's diaper for at least 14 hours, overturning a jury's verdict that the man was guilty of mistreatment. The ruling by a three--judge panel on Wednesday found prosecutors in Lane County, south of Portland, failed to prove the dad, James Christopher Hickey, had failed to perform a diaper change for the boy on repeated occasions.

As a result, evidence of a "single untimely diaper change was not sufficient to allow a jury to find" Hickey had not protected the child from future "bodily harm," the Oregon appeals court ruled in a 10--page opinion. The 5-year-old boy, who has autism spectrum disorder and a condition that makes him incontinent, had to wear a diaper because he was not toilet trained, according to court records. Hickey put his two children, ages 4 and 5, to bed at 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 17, 2012, in the town of Springfield. They climbed out of their bedroom window and were found the next morning by a passing motorists, who called sheriff's deputies, according to court records

The 5--year--old boy's diaper was heavily soiled, prompting a sheriff's deputy to change it as the boy, according to the deputy's testimony, "writhed in discomfort," At that point, it had been at least 14 hours since Hickey put the child to bed, so the boy's diaper had gone unchanged for at least that long and his skin was badly irritated, according to the appeals court opinion.

The appeals court, while overturning Hickey's felony conviction of mistreatment, let stand his conviction on two counts of second--degree child neglect. Hickey served two years in prison in the case, including on the conviction that was overturned, but has since been released, said his public defender, Erica Herb. "There was a lot of stuff that came out at trial that showed my client is not a bad person and is not a bad dad," she told Reuters by telephone. She added that she did not know if Hickey would sue prosecutors for damages over his conviction.

Sasha Obama, daughter of US President Barack Obama, has swapped the comforts of the White House for the counter of a seafood restaurant, US media report.

The 15--year--old has taken a summer job serving food at the business in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.

Sasha, using her full name, Natasha, has been accompanied to the restaurant by a contingent of six secret service agents, the Boston Herald reports.

The town has been a favourite location for the Obamas on their summer breaks.

Photographs show the president's youngest daughter wearing the restaurant's uniform of blue T--shirt and cap and working at a till.

A co-worker told the Herald: "She's been working downstairs at takeout. We were wondering why there were six people helping this girl, but then we found out who it was."

The White House has not commented on the report but First Lady Michelle Obama has spoken about trying to bring her two daughters up as normally as possible.

As well as working on the takeaway counter, Sasha Obama's other duties reportedly include waiting on tables and helping to prepare the restaurant for its lunchtime opening.

Her security team has been seen waiting nearby in a large car or sitting on benches while the First Daughter deals with tourists' meals.

PINEHURST, N.C_Channelle Wangari from Nairobi, Kenya has set a record as the first Kenyan under age 10 to have ever complete within the top ten positions in an international golf tournament.

Barely nine years old, Wangari scooped the eighth position, beating 104 other world-class participants in her pool, during the just concluded (Saturday August 7) US Kids Golf Tournament, part of the World's Junior Golf Tournament for kids 6 to 18 years old.

The 2016 championships of the yearly tournament was held at Pinehurst, NC, the cradle of American Golf and lasted for three days, bringing together, well over 1500 participants from all over the world.

This was Wangari's second appearance at the event where her performance was a remarkable improvement from position 40 last year.

A pupil at the top rated Makini School in Nairobi, Wangari also represented Kenya at the African Junior Golf tournament held in Cape Town, South African in September 2014.

At the same time, 16 year old Kellie Gachaga, a student at the Aga Khan Junior Academy also Nairobi,beat over 47 other world class participants in her pool (Girls 15-18 years) to come out the prestigious 3rd position.

There were about 7 Kenyans who participated during the event that lasted for three days, bringing together, well over 1,500 participants from across the globe.

On the Net:

http://www.uskidsgolf.com/tournaments/world/find-tournament/496159/world-championship-2016/results

Kellie Wahito, another Kenyan girl competing at the same tournament. PHOTO BY COURTESY.

(Ajabu African News, September 16, 2016) WORCESTER, Mass.,__Ann Gichuhi, a 17 year old Kenyan girl based in Worcester near Boston has done what she has always dreamt of--releasing her own music--with her new R&B hit single dubbed Back-Track dropping early today (Friday) morning.

Available for .99 cents downloads, the single is already available on i-Tunes (Mac) and Google Play (Android) and has already started drawing attention of US music lovers, with hundreds of downloads and several inspiring reviews.

"I love your vico (read voice) ann keep up the good work can you teach me how to sing", commented Nadia Exantus as soon as the single started featuring on Google Play.

The young Kenyan artiste, a final year student set to graduate from the Worcester technical High school later this year has been very active in the local Kenyan community in Boston where her sweet and attractive voice has entertained guests at various functions, including political,social and religious events.

Last year, Gichuhi was in the news again having won the Worcester Tech High School Talent Show. In 2011, the young Kenyan was among the very few girls from Massachusetts invited to the popular I-Pop Convention where she was promised a career in modeling and advertising.

However, she opted out of the opportunity since organizers required the entire family to relocate to Hollywood, something that they were not yet ready for due to other commitments.

"I feel very blessed to have this song come out now. I have been singing other people's songs for so many years until fans started asking me why I don't produce my own. So I decided to sing this first one and I am very happy for the reception it is getting," Gichuhi told Ajabu Africa News during a telephone interview from Worcester.

According Gichuhi, popularly known as Shiro, the new single was co-written by her and her manager, Ashley Suttle of Atlanta Georgia, and produced by Atomix Productions, also of Atlanta.

"I would like to thank my manager, Ashley and producer, Atomix productions for the professional help they have given me during this process. I would also like to thank my mum for all the support she has given me and allowing me to pursue my dream. It has not been easy," she told Ajabu.

She revealed that she met her manager during a trip to Atlanta to for a music event she had organized with the help of her friends, who in turn invited other friends.

The highly ambitious Kenyan added that the song was originally scheduled to be released in November of 2015 but she was not very happy with the product, so she had to edit and re-edit until she was satisfied, leading to today's release.

"I am so excited about this new development. I am so happy that I did not even sleep well last night as we waited for the song to be released. It has been a very long and difficult journey but we thank God that it has come to this kind of results," said Magdalene Njuguna, Shiro's very supportive mother.

She thanked the Kenyan community and friends in Boston for their support over the years that have seen her daughter’s dreams come true.

"I thank all Kenyan and many friends who have supported us as a family as we tried to keep up with our daughter's demands in this career. May God bless you all," she told Ajabu Africa News.

Shiro added that the release of the new song is just the first steps of many that she plans to make in developing her interests in music.

To support the hard working Kenyan teenager, download Back-Track for only 99 cents by visitingi-Tunes here orGooglePlay__click the links on your computer or mobile device.